Crude-oil generator.



PATBNTBD MAR. 1a, .1906.

No. 814,866.4 v l y Y W.H. NEHB R.

GRU'DB-OIL GENERATOR.

n APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 24, 1905.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, PATENTED MAR.'13, 1906. W. H. NEHEB.. GRUDE OIL GENERATOR. FP LIOATION FILED JANvl 24, 1905.

No. 814,866.v

' 2 SHEETS-SEEE? 2.

,-UNITED srArEs PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. NnHEn--or iNGL-Ewoon, CALIFORNIA.

cauce-on. cti-:Niamnjon.v

To all whom itmty concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM NHER, a

' citizen ofthe United States, residing at Inglewood, inthe county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and-useful Crude-Oil.. Generator, of which the followingl is a specification.'

-' This invention relates to anapparatusor converting crudeoil or distillate mtogas'for use in explosive-engines, the 'necessary' heatl for the conversion ol the product into asbe-` ing 'derived from the exhaust-gas of't een- O'Ine. a In apparatus of this character as ordinarily constructed the suction withinfthe' enerator produced. by the engine 'draws muc uncon-v verted oil or distillate into the 'engine along with the gasj; and the'main object of the present ,invention is toprovide al construction whereby the suction fromlthe 'enginewill draw 4only the gas from the generator and to increase t e efficiency of the generator, thereby increaL ng the power ofthe engine and also obviating theaccumulation Vof oilin the engine.

Another important object ofthe" invention is to provide a construction such that by the .is to provide `efficient means for removal. of one part ofthe enerator and `without thedisc'onnection. o any. pipe or other appurtenance ofthe device the interior v.parts of the generator may be exposed, so

that they may be easily cleaned.

Another objectof the invention is to royyidfe a noyel and uni ue means for distri utkIng the o1] over the vorne of the vaporizing member.

` Another, important object of the invention controlling the amount of h eat admitted to thegenera'- tor an'd to prevent the overheating of the generator, by that amount'o' the exhaust which is not being utilized for converting the oji-l into' gas.

Other objects and advantages of the invention' will appear fromthe following description., I AThe accompanying drawings illustrate the' invention, and, referring thereto, Figure 1 'is a vertical cross-section through the generator,

showing itieonnected with the vcylinder of a 'gas-engine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the generator'with ythe covering-dome lifted, l so as -to exposettheinterior parts, and illustrates the 4convenient disposition and exposurey of the interior parts, allowing the easy'cleaning thereof, Fig.-3 is across-sectionon the line y Specification of Letters-Patent. Application ledfJanuary 24,1905@ Serial No. 242,510..

which is connected with t e engine and which conducts the exhaust -gas be 'termedthe vaporizing-chamber.

ly integral with the neck PatentedMarch 13, 1906.

X34 X3 in Fig. 1. Fig-1 Vis'a side elevation of the'retort-'dome Fig. 5 isa vertical section The generator comprises a base 1, .the upper portion f which has a cup 2 which is connected by a neck 3 withI a horizontal chamber 4, havin tubular extensions 5 and 6.

a suitableange-couplin 7 with apipe 8, cylinder 9 o f the romtheengine to the chamber 4.l The tubularextension 6 has screwed thereto a pipe 10,- through which the exhaust-'gas isdischarged rom'the enerator after .1t has 'performed its duty t erein; 11 is detachablyfastened to the cup, 2' by bolts 12, preferablyhaving thumb-nuts 13,

so that the dome 11 may quickly be removed from the generator Without requiring the use of tools.'l The interior of the ydome 11 ma Fc'il'med prefere 3 and extendin upwardly therefrom 'is a web 14, the lower edge of which lies substantially in line with the up er Walls of the tubular ex- .tensions and 6, t e lower part of the web 14 The tubu ar Aextension 5 is connected by A coveringdome.

forming a partition 15, which divides the neck 3 into two sections, an inlet-passage 16 and .an"outlet'passage 17. The bottom, of the cu 2 near the neck 3 is rovided with an annu ar groove 18, in whic vnests the lower rim there being a bolt attached to the upper edge of the web 14v`andv extending upthrough the top of the vaporizing member 19 and having a nut 21 f or retaining the vaporizing mem- .o r edge-of a conical vaporizing member 19,

ber `19 in place, but allowing ready vremoval of the vvaporizing'member when it is desired.

, The'web 14'is Wedge-shaped, so thatits vertical edges closely ht theconical vaporizing member 19, as'shown in Fig. 5. Thus when the vaporizing member 19 is drawn down `into place its Walls tightly hug the Web 14, dividing the lowerl part of the vaporizing TOO member 19 into two sections 22 and 23, the

Irel

. parallel.

shaped flanges 24. The ends of the flan es 24 are relatively narrow and lie apart slight y, as shown, forming a space 25, while the opposite or bowed part of each flange is wider. The flanges 24 are so arranged thatl the wide portion of a flange lies directly under the narrow portion and s ace 25 of the flange next above, and the angesare arranged in two sets, one set being inclined in one direction and the other set being inclined,r in the opposite direction, alternater flange being An oil-pipe 26 extends up into ,the inside covering-dome 11, and its upper end is curved and points downwardly, so as to discharge oil upon the top of the retort .19, the. oil-pipe 26 receiving its supply of,oil from an overflow-cup (not-shown) and being provided with a suitable valve 27 for regulating the flow of-oil therethrough. The lower part of the cup 2 is provided withv a drain-cock 28. A pipe 29 extends up through the cup 2 and into the lower part ofthe dome 11 for, the purpose of admitting air to the interior of the dome to'combine with the vaporized oil, the

pipe 29 being provided with a suitable valve 30 for regulating the admission of air to the interior of the dome. A. flapvalve 31 is hinged to the lower edge of the partition 15 and may be moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which it completely closes the passage 16, or it maybe moved into a position resting upon the lower wall of the chamber 4, as shown, or it may be 'moved into any position `intermediate of these two extreme positions. The valve may be operated by any. suitable means, such as the handle 50, which slides over a sector 51 andwhich is adjustably held in position thereon by means of the clamp-screw 52. A pipe 32 extends up through the cup l2 inside thedome 11, and its upper end terminates at'a point slightly below the upper part of the dome 11, the mouth of the pipe pointing upwardly, as shown, the lower end being connected by a pipe 33 with a T 34, onebranch of the T 34 being connected by a pipe 35 with the cylinder 9 `and the other branch of the T 34 having connected thereto a pipe 36, through which air is delivered to the pipe 35, the pipe 36 being provided with a suitable valve 37 for controlling the admission of air and the pipe 33 being rovided with a suitable valve 38 for contro ling 4the admisvsion of gas to the engine. The u per end of the dome 11.is preferably providied with an eyebolt 39, by means of which it may readily be lifted. y

In operation oil is admitted through the `pipe 26 into the vaporizing-chamber land dropping down from the upper end thereof onto the vaporizing member 19 spreads out andv flows down the inclined flange 24, flowing around each side of the vaporiing member,

' thence down through the space 25, and onto the Wide portion of the next lower flange 24,

then flowing down both sides of the flange and to the other side of the retort and thence down through the space onto the wide part of the next lower flange and thence from that flange to the fourth flange and from the fourth flange to the fifth, and so on down, the oil being carried in a tortuous double path down thevaporizing member, traversin the walls of the vaporizingmember back andorth in its passage down.

The exhaust-gas from the cylinder 9 is conducted through the pi e 8 to the tubular extension 5, and with t e valve 31 o en, as shown in Fig. 1, it asses up through t e passage-way 16 into t e section 22 of the vaporizing member, thence overthe top of the web 14, as indicated by the arrows, thence down the other side of the web through the section 23 and through the passage-way 17 into the tubular extension 6, and thence out through the pipe 10. The exhaust-gas in passing through this circuit highly heats the vaporizing member 19, and this heat is imparted to the oil which is working down on the outside of the vaporizing member, and the oil is thus formed into a gas, which fills the dome 1,1. The upper part of the dome contains the rarer'and urer gas combined with air, which enters tir'ough the pipe 29, and when the engine takes a suction-stroke gas and air from the upper part of the dome are sucked through the pipe 32 into the cylinder of the engine, combining with it, however, before being admitted to the engine, a further amount of air, which has been admitted through the pipe 36, whereby the proper explosive mixture is produced.

lt is important toarrange the u per end of the pipe 32 near the upper end o the dome, so that `it will suck in only the ure gas and allow the unconverted oil in the ower part of the dome to remain on the vaporizing member and be fully converted into gas. This not only increases the power .of the engine by admitting thereto only the pure gas, but also by eliminating all particles of oil or other unconverted products of the crude fuel prevents accumulation of matter in the engine which would clog-and impair theaction of the same.

It is very important that the pipe 32 suck down from the top, as it then creates a suction in the upper part of the covering-dome, which draws gas' in from the side wall of the covering-dome and results in promoting a thorough circulationof gas within the dome. If the mouth of the ipe were arranged to suck u Wardly, it wou d draw gas directly up from ,t 1e center of the dome, thus short-circuiting' and allowing gas to pocket around the side wall of the dome inertly, which would defeat the best results and prevent the gas being delivered steadily and continuously of an even quality.

The valve 30 should be so regulated as to supply the proper amount of air to the dome toform with *the oil-vapor the desiredy explosive mixture.

lIo

vided.

In order to drain the cup 2 and remove any unv/aporized oil or other matter which has ac-l cumu Vv'hen it is desired to clean the a the thumb-nuts 13 may l e`loosene dome 11 may be lifted up, thereby exposing`- the outside of the Vaporizing member 19 with its flanges and also exposing the interior of the cup 2, and as these paratus and the a parts arc the only parts with which the oil l comes into contact after leaving the supplyr ber, While by closing 'pipe 26 the rectly'l out through the generator may readily be cleaned thoroughly.

A great advantage' 4 which the dome 11 can be removed' andthe perfect exposure of the oil-covered parts, thus providing fory ready cleaning. l

So far as I am aware this is the first appa'- ratus o1` vthis. character in which a single cover completely houses the oil-covered parts cov- .ering the top .and also all sides of theoil-cov 'ered parts, which cover can be removed -Without disconnecting or removing any attachments or other parts and which When re` moved gives a'complete exposurefof the oilcovered parts, which when the cpver is removed protrudes from the rest off the apparatus. The oil-retaining anges thus being exposed on` all sides and. notl hedged by any part of the generator'may be Another important feature is that practically a perfect control of the heat delivered to the vaporizing-chamber by the valve 31 is' obtained, as when 'it is in the position shown in Fig. 1`l all of the exhaust from the engine is forced to travel through the vaporizin memthe valve slight y that part -of the exhaust whichis not admitted by the valve will pass-underneath the valve and freely away from the generator, passing dipipe 6, and thus only that part ofthe exhaustwhich is required 1s .admitted by the valveBlW-In this manner the amount of heat delivered to the Vaporizing 'member and vaporizing-chamber may be vperfectly controlled, Whileby completely gas with its'heat, will pass directly horizontallythrough the-chamber 4 and out through the plpe 10, and as the neck 3 supports the cup`2 and dome 11 with interior vaporizing memclosing the valve 3-1 -all of the exhaustber 19 considerably above the. horizontal -chamber 4 and utubular vextensions -5' and 6 none of the heatfrom the exhaust-gas is imparted to the vaporizing member and vapobetween this line of rizing-chambr when the valve 31 is closed, as .l

the exhaust-gas passes out in the most direct manner, and there is considerable distance' passage of the gas and l A'the vaporizing-'chamber and retort.A

The most important advantage of 'having from the chamber 4'by ated therein, the Wastecock 28 is proas shown in Fig. 2

thev facility'.I vvivith.V

-housing and nesting with the va eiectua'lly -l member andcompletely exposing t e same rior ofthe covering-dome. generator comprising a base with a 1 the vaporizing the retort and vaporizing-chamber 'separated I the exhaust-gas passes .in which the retort and vaporizing-chamber are evenly heated Y throughout, due-to the provision of .means Whereb vall or any part only of the exhaustgas is a lowed to come' into contact With the retort.

'AWhatIclaim'is- Y y 1. A generator comprisingabase-chamber,

a vapori'zing member above the base-chamber, a covering-dome housing and nestlng with the vaporizing member,- suitable means provide an appara- A'tus of .this characterv through which all oi' unattachedtothe coverin -dome for conducting exhaust-gas throng the va member and for conveying fuel to t rior of the covering-dome and i e intefor conveying air in 'anvupW'ardly-directed current into the dome.

a fvaporizing 'member .detachablyV mounted above the same,ia removable covering-dome orizing when removedfsuitable means unattached to .the covering-.dome for conducting Vexhaustgas through the vaporizing memberjand for conveying fuel to the exterlor of the Vaporizing member and removing gas from the intechamber, a cup above the chamber andconnected ,therewith ,by a neck, afvaporizing member mounted upon the base' and a covering-dome resting upon the cup and housing member',l and means for conveying exhaust-gas to said chamber.

'. 4.' A generator com chamber, a cup With lts rim slightly above 2E A generator comprising a baise-chamber,

9ov gas from the interior thereof, andv for passing Tco prising la base with a the top of ythe base and connected with the'l chamber by a neck, a vaporizing'member d'etachably mounted upon the base, and a covand. housing the; yvap'irizing member, and

chamber. 5. A generator-comprising a base with a chamber, a cup with its rim slightly above 4the top ofthe base and connected with the chamber by a neck, a vaporizing member dctachably mounted upon the base,'a coveringdome resting upon the cup and housing the vaporizing member, a fuel-suppl tendin up .throu h the -baseinside eringome and scharging upon the vaporizing member, la gaspipe extending up -ering-dome resting upon" the rim of the cup 'i meansfor conveying exhaust-gas to said pipe 'ex the covthrough the base inside the covering-dome and arranged with its mouth opening up- Wardly near the top of the covering-dome, and means for conducting exhaust-gases through the vaporizing member.

6. A generator comprising a base with a chamber, a cup with its rim slightly above the top of the base and connected with the chamber by a neck, a vaporizing member detachably mounted upon the base, a coveringdome resting upon the rim of the cup and housing lthe vaporizing member, a fuel-supplypipe extending up through the base inside the covering-dome and discharging upon the vaporizing member, a gas-pipe extending up through the base inside the coveringdome and arranged with its mouth opening upwardly near the top of the covering-dome, means for conducting exhaust-gases through the vaporizing member,'and a valve'within said chamber for regulating the amount of exlgaust-gas admitted to the vaporizing-eham- 7. A generator comprising a base-chamber, a vaporizing member above the base-chamber, a covering-dome housing and nesting with the vaporizing member, and a gas-pipe extending up through the base inside the covering-dome and arranged with its mouth facing tlietop of the covering-dome.

-8. A vaporizing member con'xprising a con- -ioal dome, and horseshoe-shaped {langes thereon. Y

49. A vaporizing member comprising a conical dome, and horseshoe-shaped flanges thereon arranged in two sets, the langes of one set being parallel with one inclined plane, and

the flanges of the vother set being parallel with an oppositely-inclined plane; f

10.o A generator comprising al base with a chamber, an upWardly-pjcting Web formed integral With the base, 'and avaporizing memf ber detachably mounted on the base, the

edges of the web closely fitting the Walls of the vaporizing member 'and forming tivo passages therein, and means-for conducting exhaust-gas to said chamber.

1 1. A generator comprising a base With an annular groove, zin-upwardly-projecting web formed inte al with the base, a vaporizing member with its rim nestedin the groove, ya

bolt extending from the web up through the vaporizing member with a nut thereon for engaging the vaporizing member.

12. A- generator comprising a base with a chamber, a Cup connected therewith by a neck, a dome with its` rim detachably fastened to the rim of the cup, a web formed integral with the base and extending up into the dome, a vaporizing member detachably fastened to the cup and closely lltting the web, a web extending down into the chamber in the base, a. valve thereon, a fuel-pipe extending through the base into the covering-dome and discharging upon the top of the vaporizing member, an air-pipe extending up through the base into the dome, and means for conducting exhaust-gas to and from the vaporizing member.

13. A generator comprising a base, means for conducting exhaust-gas through the base, a vaporizing-chamber situated near the base, avaporizing member in the vaporizing-chamber, a removable dome covering the vaporizing member and nested therewith and a valve in the base for controlling the amount of exhaust-gas admitted to the vaporizing member, and means for conducting that part of the exhaust-gas which is not admitted to the vaporizing member bv the valve, freely away from the generator..

14. A generator comprising a base, means for conducting exhaust-gas through the base, a vaporizing-ehamber situated near the base, a vaporizing member in the vapmizing-chamber, a removable dome wavering the Vaporizing member and nested therewith, valve in the base for controlling the amount of exhaust-gas admitted to the vaporizing.member and a drain-cock for the vaporizingchamber', and means vtor conducting that part of the exhaust-gas which is not admitted to the vaporizing member by the valve, freely away from the generator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 16th day of January, 1905.

W ILLIAM H. NEUER.

In presence of- GEoRGn T. HACKLEY, EARL, A. R. LYNN. 

